draw a snake and add feet to it ()
HSK 6
Traditional
畫蛇添足
Radicals
Stroke order
Examples
画蛇添足，反而不好看了。 huàshé tiānzú, fǎn'ér bù hǎokànle - Drawing legs on a snake makes it look worse.
不要画蛇添足，做事情要恰到好处。 bùyào huàshé tiānzú, zuò shìqíng yào qià dào hǎochù - Don't overdo it, do things in moderation.
有时候过分追求完美只会画蛇添足。 yǒushíhòu guòfèn zhuīqiú wánměi zhǐ huì huàshé tiānzú - Sometimes, striving for perfection can be overdone.
他的修改显得画蛇添足。 tā de xiūgǎi xiǎnde huàshé tiānzú - His modifications seem to be adding unnecessary details.
在这幅画上画蛇添足，只会破坏原本的美感。 zài zhè fú huà shàng huàshé tiānzú, zhǐ huì pòhuài yuánběn de měigǎn - Adding unnecessary details to this painting would only ruin its original beauty.
Characters
画 huà - to draw; paint (pictures) | HSK 3
蛇 shé - snake; serpent | HSK 5
足 zú - foot, leg; football; enough, sufficient; fully, as much as; to suffice |
添 tiān - add, increase; add a family member, have (a baby) |